This document discusses the use of articles (le, la, les, un, une, des) in French and provides examples of when to use definite vs indefinite articles. It explains that in French, all nouns are either masculine or feminine and that the article must agree with the gender of the noun. It provides examples of sentences using articles and their English translations. It also notes some cases where English does not require an article even though French does. The document aims to help learners understand when to use different articles like "un/une" vs "le/la" in French sentences.

1. Les articles en français
Articles in French
Produced with assistance from the Association of Independent Schools of NSW

2. in French English equivalent in French English equivalent
le + masculine the un + masculine a / one
la + feminine the une + feminine a/ one
l’ + any word
starting with a
vowel ( a,e,i,o,u,y,h)
the un + masculine *
une + feminine *
a / one
les + plural the plural des + plural some / (or no
article in English)
* This depends on the gender of the word, it can be either feminine or masculine. For
instance, l’oiseau (the bird) is a masculine word but l’araignée (the spider) is a
feminine word.
Observe the following table to better understand the meaning of
these French articles in English:

3. So far, each word of vocab that you learn is associated with an
article.
Ex: le chat, le chien, l’oiseau, la tortue, les poissons rouges.
Or un chat, une chatte, des poissons rouges
Memorising the article with a noun ( le chat, la voiture) helps you remember their
gender : words in French are classified as masculine or feminine, singular or
plural
First rule : use either un/une/des
or le/la/les.
You cannot use TWO at the same time for the same word:
A common mistake is to say: j’ai un l’oiseau which would translate into: I’ve got a
the bird, when you want to say I’ve got a bird

4. Let’s start with un versus le
Examples:
• Je voudrais un chocolat chaud
• J’ai un chien
• Le chien est gros
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Explanation:
• Je voudrais un chocolat chaud = I would like a hot chocolate
• J’ai un chien = I’ve got a dog,
• Le chien est gros= the dog is big (the one in front of you, you can
point at him)

5. It’s your turn: which of the two is
right?
• J’ai le frère or
• j’ai un frère?
• J’ai un chien et un poisson rouge or
• J’ai le chien et le poisson rouge?
• J’ai des frères et soeurs or
• J’ai les frères et soeurs?

6. It’s your turn: which of the two is
right?
• J’ai le frère or
• j’ai un frère?
• J’ai un chien et un poisson rouge or
• J’ai le chien et le poisson rouge?
• J’ai des frères et soeurs or
• J’ai les frères et soeurs?
Click to listen

7. Check your answers
• Yes, it’s j’ai un frère
• Yes, it’s j’ai un chien et un poisson rouge
• Yes, it’s j’ai des frères et soeurs

8. j’ai un chat j’ai le chat…
• See the following dialogue:
-Tu as un chat Amélie?
-Oui, j’ai un chat. Tu vois les deux chats là-bas, moi, j’ai le petit chat noir. Pas
le chat noir et blanc.
translation
-Do you have a cat Amélie?
-Yes I have a cat. Can you see the two cats over there? ( Mine is )I have the
little black one. Not the black and white one.
Can you see the nuance between j’ai“un” chat and j’ai “le” chat noir in this
context? Between the two cats, yours is the specific one you can point at.

9. Making sense
• J’ai un chat = I’ve got a cat. Clear meaning in French
• J’ai le chat meaning unclear in French ???
To be clear, you need to specify
• J’ai le chat noir des voisins (I’ve got the neighbour’s
cat)
• J’ai le chat noir là-bas (I’ve got the black cat over there)

10. • Once you’ve understood the difference
between ‘a’ and ‘the’, it’s actually the same for
feminine words
• J’ai une tortue. Elle a douze ans comme moi.
• La tortue terrestre est plus grosse que la
tortue de mer.
• Can you translate these sentences?

11. • J’ai une tortue. Elle a douze ans comme moi.
• La tortue terrestre est plus grosse que la
tortue de mer.
• Click to listen to the answers

12. Sometimes though, you cannot rely on translating to
find out the answer
• j’aime le chocolat = I love chocolate
• j’aime les enfants = I love children
• Les chats n’aiment pas l’eau= cats are afraid
of water
• There is actually no need for an article in English in these
sentences. You love chocolate in general, you love kids in
general. Cats are taken as a species. Generally , as a
species,cats hate water.

13. Can you translate these sentences?
• Some children are playing with a ball
• Children never listen to their parents
• I have a child. His name is Marc
• Elephants are grey
• There are some elephants at the Sydney zoo
• I have a bike: the red bike over there. Bikes are
practical in cities
• I love birds.
• A bird is singing in the trees . The bird makes me
happy

14. Answers
• Some children are playing with a
ball
• Children never listen to their
parents
• I have a child. His name is Marc
• Elephants are grey
• There are some elephants at the
Sydney zoo
• I have a bike: the red bike over
there. Bikes are practical in cities
• I love birds.
• A bird is singing in the trees . The
bird makes me happy.
• Des enfants jouent à la balle
• Les enfants n’écoutent jamais
leurs parents
• J’ai un enfant. Il s’appelle Marc
• Les éléphants sont gris
• Il y a des éléphants au zoo de
Sydney
• J’ai une bicyclette: La bicyclette
rouge là-bas. Les vélos, c’est
pratique en ville.
• J’aime les oiseaux
• Un oiseau chante dans les arbres
. L’oiseau me rend heureux